METLIFE NAMED A 2007 WORKING MOTHER BEST COMPANY FOR MULTICULTURAL WOMEN FOR SECOND CONSECUTIVE YEAR

METLIFE NAMED A 2007 WORKING MOTHER BEST COMPANY FOR MULTICULTURAL WOMEN FOR SECOND CONSECUTIVE YEAR

NEW YORK, May 23, 2007

For the second year in a row, MetLife has been recognized by Working Mother magazine as a 2007 Best Company for Multicultural Women. Now in its fifth year, the Working Mother Best Companies for Multicultural Women initiative celebrates employers that are establishing groundbreaking diversity policies and programs to encourage the hiring and advancement of African-American, Hispanic, Asian-American and Native American women.

"MetLife is making a difference in the way corporate America views diversity and its multicultural employees," said Suzanne Riss, editor in chief, Working Mother magazine. "They’re holding managers accountable for helping workplace diversity thrive. We have the good fortune to live in one of the most culturally rich countries in the world, and MetLife recognizes that this richness is a workplace asset. Harnessing the wealth of talents and perspectives that people of different backgrounds have to offer is helping MetLife excel in our increasingly global and competitive world. MetLife is truly leading by example."

Profiled in the June issue of Working Mother magazine, MetLife is recognized for its unique programs that meet the needs of multicultural women. MetLife has continuously focused on embedding diversity and inclusion into its culture. MetLife’s Individual Business segment, which serves retail consumers, has several Advisory Councils — Women, African-American, Hispanic, Chinese and South Asian — targeted toward increasing the representation of financial representatives in these areas and capitalizing on marketplace opportunities. In addition, MetLife has a strong relationship with INROADS to help develop future talent and sponsors affinity groups and a supplier diversity program to help drive the company’s focus on diversity best practices.

"One thing that’s a given at MetLife is the belief that the diverse ideas and contributions that come from our talented associates are what will enable us to achieve future growth and success," said Debra J. Capolarello, senior vice president and chief talent officer, MetLife. "It’s an honor to receive this outstanding recognition from Working Mother, which reinforces what we have increasingly heard from our own associates in employee surveys – that diversity is valued at MetLife."

The complete 2007 Best Companies for Multicultural Women—including profiles of the winning companies and more stories on diversity in corporate America—appears in the June issue of Working Mother, now available on newsstands.

Founded in 1979, Working Mother magazine reaches nearly 3 million readers and is the only national magazine for career mothers. Its 21-year signature initiative, Working Mother 100 Best Companies, is the most important benchmark for work/life practices in corporate America. The publication also releases the annual list of the Best Companies for Multicultural Women in the June issue. Working Mother is published by Working Mother Media (WMM), which also owns the National Association for Female Executives (NAFE), NAFE Magazine, the annual 100 Best Companies WorkLife Congress, as well as the Best Companies for Multicultural Women Conference and regional Town Halls. In 2006, WMM acquired Diversity Best Practices and the Business Women’s Network, making Working Mother Media the largest media company in the country focused on diversity and the advancement of women.